All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Sunday, July 31, 2011

fresh corncob and codfish chowder with dill and sriracha








I hope you're having a beautiful day, wherever you are! Today was sunny and hot, but mornings are still lovely and cool - a perfect blend of weather.

I had been hoping to add some tiny yellow zucchini to this chowder, but my midnight thief struck again, neatly removing the 3 little zukes - and four raspberries I'd been hoping to have on my French toast this morning. I'm guessing a chipmunk, as I see them popping in and out of several holes in both the back and front yards.

The chowder I ended up making has the most delicious rounds of corn-on-the-cob that are wonderful to nibble on - and a special favorite of children. The fish is very fresh, and very mild, and I've skipped the cream you often see in chowders in New England. If you find very fresh fish but don't plan to use it right away, you can double wrap it in plastic and freeze it, and proceed as usual with the poaching even while it's still frozen another day. I had wanted to use fennel seeds in this, but they were nowhere to be found, so I opted for dill, oregano, and thyme - and a spark of hot sauce!

This makes four servings.

1 lb. fresh or frozen cod
3 ears fresh corn, shucked and cut into rounds
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
3 medium white potatoes ( or you can use tiny whole ones) halved, then sliced
(I used California Longs)
1 T. fresh dill, de-stemmed
1 T. fresh oregano, rosemary, or thyme or tarragon
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup diced red pepper
kosher salt
dash of hot sauce ( I used Sriracha)
1 T. olive oil or unsalted butter

Place the fish in a non-aluminum skillet, then add water to about halfway up the fish . Bring to a simmer, add a little salt, and cover. Keep checking the fish until it separates into large flakes, then remove from heat and uncover. Set aside.

Place the sliced potatoes and onion, and the dill or rosemary or oregano in a saucepan, and add water until it just covers the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook til just tender.
Add the cup of chicken or vegetable stock to the potato mixture, then strain the fish stock into the soup pot as well.
Add the rounds of corn, the olive oil or butter, more salt and the hot sauce, and the red pepper and cook for just a few minutes. Turn the heat off and gently lower the fish into the pot, breaking it up gently with a fork. Taste for seasoning, and add more fresh dill before serving.
Ladle into bowls and serve.

Enjoy !



4 comments:

Barb said...

Oh this looks lovely for a hot summer day! And you got to use your own fresh, dried dill!

I love your reference to the 'midnight thief' - clever little guys, aren't they? Cute but frustrating.

Is it too, too hot where you are? It is crazy hot (& humid) here. I heard it was the hottest July on record here. (Some things I am better off not knowing! ha!ha!)

katrina said...

Hi Barb! Actually, I had a little fresh dill still, so I used that, but I'm so happy to have some fresh, dried dill tucked in the pantry.
Oy, those garden pests! I've given up. If I'm still here next year, I'll have to fence in the garden.
And the thermometer read 106F late morning in the sun here! Stay cool, my friend!

Barb said...

Speaking of those 'midnight theives"...I'm watering my neighbor's garden while they are away for a few days, and I notice that the almost-ripe cherry tomatoes are gone when I look the next day! I may have to arm wrestle with them to get a few for a salad. My neighbor will probably think I ate them all!!

katrina said...

I wonder who those thieves are, Barb? Doesn't it drive you cuckoo? Someone told me to spray the plants with hot pepper sauce mixed in water, which I think I did one year and "burned" white spots on the leaves:) Good luck!